General Questions Q & A:

GQ 1."What is the purpose of this Bag?"

GA 1.Our purpose is to bring a reusable product to the cleaning service industry. As a suburban environmentally conscious consumer, I became frustrated with using throw away single use plastic bags. The basic design was formulated to what I felt I would want available in a bag and a prototype was made. It was then brought around to a variety of service providers as well as a broad spectrum of potential consumers and they supplied feedback as well. Now we have expanded the product to you the general public and it is our hope that you will experience greater convenience to your daily routine.

GQ 2."How can you claim to 'B' Green if you use vinyl in your products?"

GA 2. In our opinion, the fundamental element of a Green approach to garment bags or any other reusable product is one of sustainability. Our original design was for a dry cleaning bag that recreated the visible aspect of throw away plastic without the accompanying waste so that customers could see their clothes and for that purpose, clear vinyl was an obvious choice. In the process, we found customers who were utilizing the Bag in a variety of other ways so we created a covered front version of the product to accommodate other usages. In doing this, we decided to stick with the vinyl which had served so well with the original and earliest versions of the Bag - it better secured the clothes and reduced wrinkling compared to what other bag materials in our experience were capable of.

We believe any concept of true sustainability must be one that combines both a durable product as well as one that people are actually going to use. Our customers report constantly how much they love the Bag and if you really like a product then you will actually use it as part of your routine. We hope to help people through the use of this Bag to reduce their own personal carbon footprint and that is the essence of what it means to be Green.

GQ 3."Can this Bag be used on a daily basis?"

GA 3. Absolutely! The Bag was designed "for Consumers by a Consumer." We even added extra features after receiving input early on from various service providers and consumers. The feedback we have received was incorporated into the current design. Some features are standard (i.e., the carrying handles) while others, due to cost consideration will only be available on our special "Destination Collection."

GQ 4."How does the 'Home-Hamper’ work?"

GA 4.Your dirty clothes go within the framework of the Bag and there is a completely separate area for your cleaned clothes. As a nurse, I learned not to mix dirties and cleans and that insight is the basis of this product's Patent Pending status.

The Bag is perfect for use not only at home but also travels well to the office, the gym, on vacations, to the dry cleaners, on business trips, etc. Basically, it works wherever you are. All you need to do to use the "Home-Hamper" is keep the Bag hung on a hanger in the closet (or on a hook behind a door) and gather right from that position.

GQ 5."Why does the Bag appear at times to have a wrinkly appearance?"

GA 5. In our desire to make a product that embodies a balance between flexibility and durability, we found vinyl to be the best material to achieve that goal. Unfortunately, the nature of vinyl is that it appears more wrinkly to the eye than other materials and can at times be a bit stiff at first. And though we did consider an option that would have been more visually appealing, the choice we made was to go with material that was more flexible and durable while providing the clothing with greater security. From the positive feedback received to date, we are comfortable that we made the best decision and as the company grows, we have continued to explore in the areas of more earth-friendly materials.

GQ 6."Why the cost?"

GA 6.This is a personally funded start-up company. At first we produced the product in smaller amounts while working to set up the means of production to duplicate the Bag in greater quantities. Now that we have achieved a measure of market penetration, we are able to produce a Bag satisfying a range of economic levels without sacrificing our commitment to quality.

We at It's My B.,Inc. feel that this formula benefits a greener and more sustainable business model for the 21st century. Our formula has not only worked well from a financial aspect but it has also benefited our quality control so much so that we continue to follow it. In fact, it is the same business model we are using for our soon-to-be-released "Destination Collection" reusable garment Bag in addition to other products we have in development.

GQ 7."What if I want to invest in "It's My B., Inc?"

GA 7. Absolutely! We often say "Together We Can Change the World, One Reusable Product at a Time." We stand by that phrase as those are not mere words to us. There are a variety of ways to invest and we are open to considering different possibilities -indeed we have been approached by some who have shown interest in financially investing in our company.

Our interest first and foremost is to produce a quality product with a respectable lifespan, not a poorer made product that will fall apart after a handful of usages. As it sits right now, that seems to be a bridge too far for many but if the circumstances present themselves that do not compromise our principles, then we are more than willing to take a look.

In the meantime, the easiest way to invest in It's My B., Inc is to buy some of our products. We encourage you to try the Bag yourself so that you can better recommend them to your family, friends, customers, and anyone else whose opinions you trust. We feel it is essential in getting a true appraisal of our product for someone to actually try the Bag before making any additional investment decisions. In our experience, those who use the Bag like it and while they often come to us for the look of the Bag as well as the Green and sustainability features; however, they stay for the improvement to their daily lives it presents.

GQ 8."What does the '& Beyond' mean?"

GA 8.We say '& Beyond' because there are many alternative usages beyond the product's originally designed purpose that we have discovered and our customers have been telling us that they use their Bag for. (Check a sampling of different usages in GA 4.)

GQ 9."Why the company name "It's My B., Inc?"

GA 9.We realize that it might sound unusual. However, the reason for the name choice will become clearer once future products are introduced. This company was formulated to eventually be a sort of one-stop-shopping for reusable items. All of our products will begin with the letter "B"; ergo, the name will at that point make more sense.

Consumer Q & A:

CQ 1."When the Bag is used for dry cleaning, do I leave it with the dry cleaner?"

CA 1.Yes, in that circumstance you would leave the Bag with your clothes. There is an invoice pocket for their ticket and in addition, we have designated space for you to personalize it.

**There is no change to the drop-off/pick-up process except that the cleaner puts your Bag in their receiving area awaiting your clothes' completion. At that point, the dry cleaner can easily place your cleaned items in the garment portion, then put the invoice in its designated pocket, and hang it on the rack to await your pick-up!!

CQ 2."Will my dry cleaner utilize this Bag?"

CA 2.Unfortunately, there is no guarantee that every dry cleaner will see the growing global trend towards becoming Greener. Hopefully, your dry cleaner will but if not, there are others out there who will. We believe the reusable concept has a place in the cleaning service industry as is the case with other industries and local merchants. One benefit is that the product holds your clothes when they are transported to the cleaner (in the "Home Hamper" section-see GQ 4) so you are unlikely to forget the Bag.

As a good rule of thumb, if the business advertises a "Green", "Organic", “We Recycle Hangers", etc. type features as part of their theme, the odds are good that they will use the Bag.

Here is an example of the trend of the future:

Report Brings to the Surface the Growing Global Problem of Marine LitterUNEP Head Calls for World-Wide Ban on Pointless Thin Film Plastic Bags Washington DC/Nairobi, 8 June 2009 - From discarded fishing gear to plastic bags to cigarette butts, a growing tide of marine litter is harming oceans and beaches worldwide, says a new report. The report, the first-ever attempt to take stock of the marine litter situation in the 12 major regional seas around the world, was launched on World Oceans Day by the UN Environment Program (UNEP) and Ocean Conservancy.

For a more recent example of the trend, consider this article from June 29, 2011:
"The ban that starts Friday affects 71 stores - those that make more than $2 million annually and are bigger than 10,000 square feet. Smaller stores have until Jan. 1 to make the change.
County residents use an estimated 6 billion plastic bags a year, or 1,600 bags per household, according to a report commissioned by the supervisors. And cleaning up litter caused by the bags costs taxpayers an estimated $18 million annually..." http://www.contracostatimes.com/california/ci_18380312

We noted the following on our FAQ page back in 2010:
"Recently, California (led by San Francisco), Washington DC, along with many countries have joined the www.BanTheBag.com trend. It is mostly with grocery store bags at this point; however some are talking about dry cleaner bags."

The above link only supports what we have been saying all along and this trend is only going to continue.

And finally, the following movie trailer explains the effects of one plastic bag on the environment:

We hope that the above information is of assistance in your decision-making process.

CQ 3."How many will I need?"

CA 3.Try one out for starters! The Bag has so many usages but the important thing is to start using it! Although the intention of this product was originally for service cleaning of your hanging clothes; nonetheless, during the sample process we ran across multiple additional uses (see GQ 4 for a few such examples).

Our overarching objective is to create a line of products for our company based on what we call a "Mutually Beneficial Model." We want our Bag to become your Bag! We at It's My B.,Inc. are always excited to hear from others about the various ways this Bag has helped improve their daily routines.CQ 4."What is the "B" Credit Program?"

CA 4.This is a special discount program we designed to enhance a shared benefit arrangement with a focus on engaging both you and the service provider in the process. As a registered nurse functioning in the capacity as a patient teacher/advocate, it has been my experience that it is within this framework that true lasting and meaningful change comes.

The act of someone choosing the Bag as their reusable alternative to throw away plastic is the first step to their ownership in the process and future outcome. However, with the challenges you and your customer face with today's struggling economy, this can present difficulties and we understand that. Certainly the last thing you or they want to do is to spend one penny more than is needed no matter how durable, long lasting, and convenient a product is! That is what our company based "B" credit program was designed to assist with. We feel that with the "B" credit program, we have provided the tools to be able to introduce this new concept to you even if your service provider is not FULLY on board...YET!!.

Eventually, we hope your service providers will utilize this as a means to give you the customer 10% of a discount on each of your first 10 uses of the Bag, here's what happens:

The service providers can afford to purchase our durable reusable garment Bag and still meet their bottom-line.

You receive a top quality product which is both reliable and durable (we have prototypes from the fall of 2009 that are still being used...reused...and counting!)

You the customer would feel that you are partners with your service provider in their attempt to help our planet providing an authentic "Win-Win" situation!!!

For now, you are invited to come to our website and check out the ever growing list of vendors that in exchange for listing with us and who will pass discounts on to you. In addition we will be running seasonal discounts/specials as well to thank you for giving It's My Bag a try. Once the dry cleaners come on board, you may continue to join us.

CQ 5."What do I do with a bag that needs to be recycled?"

CA 5. The creation of this Bag was a process that went through many stages of trial and error. However, the result is a durable and lasting product. Indeed we have bags that have been in circulation for going on two years now and they are still going strong. (And some of our customers who have upgraded to newer models in their everyday use have reported that they now use the prior bag for closet storage.) So that problem has not been an issue for us. If anyone feels this is necessary though, we at It's My B., Inc. would like to be apprised on the matter so we can do our best to remedy the situation. Our experience has been that once someone has invested in our product that they tend to use it consistently thus achieving our intended goal of reducing single use plastic. Should at any time the durability of our product become an issue, we will address that immediately.

Service Provider Q & A:

SPQ 1."When the Bag is used for dry cleaning, does the customer leave it with me (the service provider)?"

SPA 1.Yes, in that circumstance the customer would leave with you the Bag with their clothes. There is an invoice pocket for the ticket and in addition, we have designated space for you to personalize it.

**There is no change to the drop-off/pick-up process except that you put their Bag in your receiving area awaiting the clothes' completion. At that point, you can easily place their cleaned items in the garment portion, then put the invoice in its designated pocket, and hang it on the rack to await the customer's pick-up!!

SPQ 2."As a dry cleaner, do I have to utilize this Bag?"

SPA 2.At this time, there is no legislation or statute binding every dry cleaner to use such products. However, there is a growing global trend towards becoming Greener and in our view, it is always best to be proactive on these sorts of things. Hopefully, you will see yourself as one of the trendsetters!

We believe the reusable concept has a place in the cleaning service industry as is the case with other industries and local merchants. In order to let customers know that you support Green alternatives, it is a good rule of thumb as a business to use a "Green", "Organic", “We Recycle Hangers", etc. type feature as part of your advertising theme.

Here is an example of the trend of the future:

Report Brings to the Surface the Growing Global Problem of Marine LitterUNEP Head Calls for World-Wide Ban on Pointless Thin Film Plastic Bags
Washington DC/Nairobi, 8 June 2009 - From discarded fishing gear to
plastic bags to cigarette butts, a growing tide of marine litter is
harming oceans and beaches worldwide, says a new report. The report, the
first-ever attempt to take stock of the marine litter situation in the
12 major regional seas around the world, was launched on World Oceans
Day by the UN Environment Program (UNEP) and Ocean Conservancy.

For a more recent example of the trend, consider this article from June 29, 2011:
"The ban that starts Friday affects 71 stores - those that make more
than $2 million annually and are bigger than 10,000 square feet. Smaller
stores have until Jan. 1 to make the change.
County residents use an estimated 6 billion plastic bags a year, or
1,600 bags per household, according to a report commissioned by the
supervisors. And cleaning up litter caused by the bags costs taxpayers
an estimated $18 million annually..." http://www.contracostatimes.com/california/ci_18380312

We noted the following on our FAQ page back in 2010:
"Recently, California (led by San Francisco), Washington DC, along with many countries have joined the www.BanTheBag.com trend. It is mostly with grocery store bags at this point; however some are talking about dry cleaner bags."

The above link only supports what we have been saying all along and this trend is only going to continue.

And finally, the following movie trailer explains the effects of one plastic bag on the environment:

We hope that the above information is of assistance in your decision-making process.

SPQ 3."What is the "B" Credit Program?"

SPA 3.This is a special discount program we designed to enhance a shared benefit arrangement with a focus on engaging both you and your customer in the process. As a registered nurse functioning in the capacity as a patient teacher/advocate, it has been my experience that it is within this framework that true lasting and meaningful change comes.

The act of someone choosing the Bag as their reusable alternative to throw away plastic is the first step to their ownership in the process and future outcome. However, with the challenges you and your customer face with today's struggling economy, this can present difficulties and we understand that. Certainly the last thing you or they want to do is to spend one penny more than is needed no matter how durable, long lasting, and convenient a product is! That is what our company based "B" credit program was designed to assist with. We feel that with the "B" credit program, we have provided the tools to be able to introduce this new concept as part of your other services.

Eventually, we hope you will utilize this as a means to give your customers 10% of a discount on each of their first 10 uses of the Bag, here's what happens:

You can afford to purchase our durable reusable garment Bag and still meet your bottom-line.

Our Bags are very durable; indeed, we have prototypes from fall of 2009 still being used and reused and counting. It is fair therefore to surmise that your customer will use these products for a long time to come -well beyond the 10 times covered under the program.

Your customers would feel that you are partners with them in their attempt to help our planet providing an authentic "Win-Win" situation!!!

For now, you and your customers are invited to come to our website and check out the ever growing list of vendors that in exchange for listing with us and who will pass discounts on to you. In addition we will be running seasonal discounts/specials as well to thank you (and your customers!) for giving It's My Bag a try. Once you the service provider is ready to come on board, your clients are welcome as well!

If you wish to obtain listing on our website as an "It's My Bag Friendly Zone", please join us on one of our "Wednesday Webinars" to learn how. Just sign up for our newsletter for details.SPQ 4."How many Bags will my customer need?"

SPA 4.We recommend having them try one out for starters! The Bag has so many usages but the important thing is to start using it! Although the intention of this product was originally for service cleaning of your hanging clothes; nonetheless, during the sample process we ran across multiple additional uses (see GQ 4 for a few such examples).

Our overarching objective is to create a line of products for our company based on what we call a "Mutually Beneficial Model." We want our Bag to become your Bag! We at It's My B.,Inc. are always excited to hear from others about the various ways this Bag has helped improve their daily routines.

SPQ 5."Besides being Greener, what other benefits to my business would come from using It's My Bag?"

SPA 5.By being Green with It's My Bag, you will save money over time. This would happen by the fact that once a person or family chooses to use It's My Bag, its a routine-altering experience. (Picture one less family to have to buy plastic for.) The film trailer in SPA 3 shows the environmental effect of one plastic bag and from there the effect multiplies exponentially. There is also a promotional aspect insofar as everywhere the Bag goes (way beyond trips to and from your establishment!) with your customized logo on it, the more free advertising that your business receives!